Ridge view at Big Bend. Photo by Dave and Shelley.

Over Christmas, my friends Shelley and Dave and their daughter drove 10 hours to Big Bend National Park, located in remote southwest Texas and tucked into a wide curve of the Rio Grande. Four hundred and seventy-four long, empty miles lie between Austin and Big Bend—and, remember, Austin is located pretty much in the middle of the state. It never ceases to amaze me how wide Texas is.

(Of course, Texans love to brag on this fact. From El Paso on the west to Texarkana on the east it’s 794 miles, almost exactly the same distance as El Paso to Los Angeles, which is 790 miles. I suppose to Alaskans, however, that would be a mere Sunday drive.)

At any rate, Big Bend is a long way away, remote from all cities and all but a couple small towns. You have to really want to go to Big Bend. My friends’ photos of the rugged beauty of far west Texas are encouraging me to make the trek someday soon.

Red cactus at Tuff Canyon. This looks like ‘Santa Rita’ prickly pear and ocotillo to me. Photo by Dave and Shelley.

Sunset from Indian Lodge. Photo by Dave and Shelley.

Thanks, Dave and Shelley, for sharing your images of this dramatic landscape. I’ll add a visit to Big Bend to my list of New Year’s resolutions.

I was pleased to notice that Annie in Austin was one of several local gardeners interviewed by the Austin American-Statesman for an article today on gardening resolutions. She resolved, “In 2007, I’ll try to spend as much time actually working in the garden as I spend photographing it and garden blogging about it!”

Well, Annie, that’s all well and good, but I hope you don’t cut back on your blogging time to do so. I sure enjoy your insightful, witty posts and your frequent, encouraging comments all over the blogosphere and especially here at Digging.

Another interviewee was Deborah Hornickle, whose formal rear garden—remember the pear allee, the lemon tree, and the trellised dining area draped with sky vine?—drew admiring crowds at Austin’s Open Days Tour last October. Her resolution? “Next year will see big changes in my own yard, as I am planning a house addition that will invade a large portion of the rear garden. I have my fingers crossed that this garden I love so dearly will find a way to coexist with my new living space in an aesthetically pleasing way.”

Deborah, after seeing your gorgeous and creative garden, I am confident that you’ll create a wonderful new garden once the dust has settled on your remodel. I look forward to seeing it when it appears on the next Open Days tour.

I’m not one for making resolutions (my track record on keeping them is woefully unimpressive), but since everyone else is doing it, why not? In 2007 I would like to enjoy my garden more than I do—actually sit in it and look around and appreciate the beauty to be found there. Usually when I try to do this I see the garden’s flaws and weeds and find myself popping out of my chair to find the pruners or shovel. So, I hereby resolve to find more peace in my garden and fewer chores.

Ha!

Happy New Year!

Four red trumpets on the amaryllis add Christmas cheer at the table.

We got home after dark last night, lugging our suitcases and Disney souvenirs into the chilly house. When I switched on the light over the dining table, the blazing amaryllis greeted my eyes. Ka-pow! I called to David and the kids, and they all came to look and exclaim over it. What a great “welcome home” the amaryllis gave us.

In the sunlight on the porch, it’s easier to see the satiny texture of the petals. They shine like Christmas ornaments. Four trumpet-shaped flowers are fully open atop the straight, green stalk. I don’t know how long they’ve been open—we’ve been away for six days—but with a sight like this to greet me I can’t greatly regret missing the unfurling.

Rye grass softens the pot and adds greenery and texture. It’s like having a bit of spring in a pot.

Our pre-Christmas vacation at Disney World was wonderful. I was surprised by how much fun an adult could have at the parks (we visited Magic Kingdom twice, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom), and of course the kids loved it. Like Austin when we left, Orlando was warm and sunny; high temperatures ranged from 76 to 80 degrees, and the nights were only a bit cooler. Palm trees, bromeliads, and plumbago grew lushly throughout the Disney parks, and pools and small lakes everywhere reminded one of Florida’s usually hot, humid subtropical climate.

Every park was decked out for the holidays with huge Christmas trees, swags of greenery, and other decorations, but it did not feel Christmasy to us. It was like being in a time warp for a few days. We didn’t read the paper or watch the TV news; we had no internet connection. We existed in a make-believe world for those six days. It was actually kind of hard to come home to real life—I’ve got to clean the house, buy groceries, cook several dishes and desserts for Christmas Day, wash clothes—but Austin nevertheless looked beautiful to us as we drove home from the airport yesterday evening. Downtown’s buildings shone in the fading light and reflected on Town Lake, the capitol gleamed white against the darkening sky, the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park was aglow, and the cooler temperatures put us in the holiday spirit. And then there was that amaryllis.

Ah, home.